At the onset of COVID-19, the Government of Somaliland issued directives to manage the spread of the virus. On top of complete lockdowns, curfews, and closing of borders, public health measures were enforced in most public places. Although vital in curbing the spread of the virus, these measures significantly impacted on trade particularly micro and small traders, and informal traders. The Safe Trade Zone intervention under the safe trade emergency facility endeavoured to support authorities to develop and implement a protocol that could be used in the establishment and management of safe market- places.  In partnership with AMREF Health Africa, TMA developed the Safe Trade Zone Protocol that was rolled out across selected markets in East Africa and the Horn of Africa. In Somaliland, the Tog Wajaale border was selected because of its strategic linkage to the Berbera corridor. It was anticipated that this intervention would allow traders business continuity; while giving the authorities confidence that traders and market users are safe and protected. The Tog Wajaale Safe Trade Zone market is located on the border of Somaliland and Ethiopia. 92.8KM West of Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. It is the main route that connects Somaliland and Ethiopia known as Berbera Corridor. It’s a sizable city with an estimated population of about 70,450 inhabitants. In place of an old market lacking any infrastructure, a new market was built in an area of 1,800- metre square. It contains 196 stalls designed to provide for social distancing of 2.5 metres and in...

The route is simply called Route 200. It’s part of the greater Berbera Corridor starting from Berbera Port all the way to Ethiopia at Tog Wajaale. With over US$16,600,425 funding from United Kingdom’ s Agency for International Development channelled through TradeMark Africa (TMA); Somaliland’s Ministry of Transport and Roads Development is representing the government in the effort of upgrading the 22.5km Hargeisa bypass into a two lanes single carriage way along the Berbera corridor around the Somaliland’s capital of Hargeisa. This project will reduce travel time and overall transport cost for the transport operators, increase volume of trade within Somaliland and neighbouring Ethiopia and reduce poverty and improve the people’s livelihood. The Hargeisa bypass is part of a three-component  three-year programme by the United Kingdom  known as “Unlocking Prosperity in the Horn of  Africa”. The labour force is about 200. Of that there are fifteen women working on the project. Here are some of their stories.  Community buy-in [caption id="attachment_63032" align="alignleft" width="225"] Hebaq Hassan, Sociologist Assistant[/caption] I was keen to learn what the local community felt about the road; and had an animated chat with Hebaq Hassan, who is not only employed at the site, but is a resident of Hargeisa. I posed: Is the community happy with the bypass upgrade? What do the old men who were born, lived, herded goats, had their social gathering like weddings feel about this dusty road cutting into their land, into their heart? What do the womenfolk feel? What do they want? “Because...

TradeMark Africa with project implementing partner Horn of Africa Voluntary Youth Committee (HAVOYOCO), project donors European Union, IGAD and Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office launched a modern market project on the Ethiopia and Somaliland border under the Safe Trade Zones. This market for informal women traders in Ethiopia’s border is being constructed with key health provisions and features to ensure enhanced safe trading and hygiene in light of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. Safe Trade Zones are under the Safe Trade Emergency Facility, a US$31 million intervention by TradeMark Africa in the East, Horn and Southern Africa region in the wake of the debilitating effects of COVID-19 on trade. Similar markets are being implemented in Busia Kenya, Nimule in South Sudan and Rusizi in Rwanda. The market in Ethiopia consists of 90 stalls for trade designated to  provide social distancing of 2.5 metres in accordance with safe trade protocols. It will feature sections for selling meat, milk, fruit, and vegetables. Other facilities include prayer rooms, breastfeeding centres, cold chain rooms and handwashing points.  Water harvesting tanks and milk handling containers are currently under procurement. Qamar Cige, a meat trader, is one of the women who stand to benefit from the upgraded market. BAD GOAT In the dusty border-town of Tog Wajaale, Somaliland Qamar Cige sits outside an open market building. It’s an afternoon characterised by hot and dense air. Not far from here there is a gargle of women buying camel milk from a rusty old pickup. In the market women...

International trade, however, has a huge part to play in keeping the UK’s florists stocked with fresh cut flowers. The second top import market to the UK for flowers is Kenya, which supplies just over 8 percent of British-sold flowers, or 10,000 tons, worth not far off £67 million. Cut flowers account for 25% of all Kenyan imports to the UK. The Institute of Export & International Trade has been working with donor organization TradeMark Africa (TMA) to implement a ‘digital trade corridor’ between the UK and Kenya to help simplify trade between the two nations. The initiative, called the ‘UK-Kenya Trade Logistics Information Pipeline’ (TLIP), aims to eliminate documentation and introduce better visibility in the supply chains flowing between the UK and Kenya. This initiative builds upon on the Kenya-UK Economic Partnership Agreement, which was signed in December 2020. TLIP's system uses blockchain technology to link all those in a supply chain together, enabling faster logistics and easier trading. Marco Forgione, director general of the IOE&IT, said: “This Valentine’s Day when you were giving your loved one a beautiful bouquet of flowers, consider the journey they have taken to put that smile on their face. Around nine different organizations are involved with the transportation of flowers from Kenya before they enter your home and all of these actions in the supply chain require documentation to move the goods along on their journey. “The trade corridor we are creating will provide more transparency and enable all actors to view the...